A Secret Vigilance Committee Formed

From "Selma; Her Institutions, and Her Men" by John Hardy, pub. 1879:

At a meeting on October 9th 1859 the Council authorized the Mayor to subscribe $32,000 of the stock of the Railroad Company, from Uniontown, by way of Newberne, to ‘Greensboro, and issue bonds with which to pay for the stock; thus making the bonded debt of the city $123,000, at eight per cent. Interests, semi-annually. A committee was appointed to revise the city charter and prepare such amendments as may be necessary, to be presented to the next Legislature. Fourteen additional street lamps were contracted for with the Gas Company thus making thirty-six public lights in the city. A secret Vigilance Committee was appointed by the Mayor to arrest any suspicious person who might be found in the city tampering with negroes. Five hundred dollars were given to the " Independent Blues" to enable the company to entertain their military guest, the "Talladega Artillery," on their proposed visit to Selma on the 9th of June 1859. The cock fighting ordinance came up again, and a motion made to prohibit cock fighting in the city, was adopted, by Plant, Weedon and Wiley voting for its adoption, and Dr. I. Morgan against its adoption. So the amusement was abandoned for that season. The Marshal was directed to purchase one mule and cart for the city, and to hire six more hands to work on the streets. The Mayor was authorized to subscribe for $30,000 of the capital stock of the North-east and South-west Railroad Company, at a meeting of the council held on the 38th day of December 1859, and to prepare and issue coupon bonds to run twenty years, at eight per cent., to give to the company for said stock, thus making the bonded debt of the city $173,000, at eight per cent. Interest. A meeting of the council, held on the 31st of December 1859, the Mayor was authorized and directed to subscribe for $60,000 of the capital stock of the Selma and Gulf Railroad Company, and to issue coupon eight per cent. Twenty year bonds, to pay the company for the stock, (these bonds were not issued until 1865), thus making the bonded debt of the city for railroad purposes, $233,000--all bearing eight per cent. Interest. The Council appropriated fifty dollars towards boring the artesian well at the crossing of Alabama and New Streets, near the residence of B. T. Maxey. Five hounded dollars were appropriated to buy a city clock. McClure, Thames & Wilson claimed the foot of Lauderdale street, to which the council objected. Sam Rodifer was appointed Deputy Marshal, at a salary of fifty dollars per month. Port Wardens were established, but we have never been able to ascertain what were their duties. The fire limits of the city were defined to commence on Sylvan street at the river bluff, thence to Water street, thence to Green street, thence along Green street to Alabama street, thence to Franklin street, thence to Selma street, thence to Washington street, thence to Dallas street, thence to Church street, thence along church street to the Alabama river, thence up the river to the foot of Sylvan street; Within these limits no wooden building can be built, nor is any house allowed to be covered with wooden material. Geo F. Plant was contracted with to put an iron culvert across Broad street, near the residence of W. Plattenburg. An ordinance was adopted prohibiting the sale of negroes on the public streets. At a meeting of the Council held on the 31st day of March 1860, resolutions were adopted authorizing the Mayor to subscribe for capital stock of the Alabama and Tennessee Railroad Company to amount of $100,000 and to issue capon eight per cent. twenty year bonds and delver same to the Railroad Company. We have not been able to ascertain by any of the records that these bonds were ever issued. One thousand dollars was appropriated to purchase a fire engine for the use of the Phenix Fire Company No. 1. One of the rotary fire engines was loaned to the Alabama and Tennessee Railroad Company. Goldsby and Jones were allowed sixty-three dollars; Daniel Sullivan, fifty dollars; Hiram Granger, fifty dollar; Mrs. Fanny Worley, forty-three dollars; and Robert Hall, fourteen dollars, as damages to their lands for opening New street, in East Selma. Quite a number of new streets were opened in East Selma among them Coosa, Florence, Parham, Plant. Hardee, Mechanic, Division, Mulberry, Mullen, Dedman, Race, and other streets the members of the military and fire companies of the city were exempt from paying street and poll tax.

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